AAC Clyde Space and partners have agreed to move into the phase 3B of the xSPANCION project, wherein the project will be completed with the manufacturing of ten novel spacecraft, of which four will be launched within the project’s framework — the UK Space Agency, through the ESA Pioneer Partnership Projects, will co-fund the Group’s investments in the project with 4.5 million (approx. SEK 51.7 million).
The xSPANCION project aims to develop an innovative satellite constellation service and is expected to be operational in Q4 2024. The decision to move into phase 3B was taken while completing the phase 3A with satellite platform qualification, scaling production capacity with increased automation and the development of cloud-based software for delivery of data services to users. The first four Earth observation satellites will become part of AAC Clyde Space’s Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) constellation, whereas the six following satellites will be offered for client payloads.
Through Space Data as a Service agreements, customers can access space-based data more quickly and cheaply, without the need to own and operate space assets. Customer agreements can take three different forms; pay-per-access, non-exclusive access by annual subscription, or exclusive access under a capacity subscription. Since the Group aims for a flexible and dynamic constellation, it has, together with its partners, agreed to move into this final phase before finalizing customer agreements. Larger customer agreements will be announced when they are finalized.
The xSPANCION project is structured as a Public Private Partnership, wherein AAC Clyde Space Ltd. and its partners, Bright Ascension Ltd., the University of Strathclyde, D-Orbit UK, Alden Legal UK and the Satellite Applications Catapult are working in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency to develop a Space Data as a Service offering.
“Good quality and timely data are key aspects of our SDaaS offering and we are delighted to see the xSPANCION project move into its final stretch. These satellites will offer customers new data sets, in a timely manner, opening a variety of opportunities to collect information that will improve life on Earth.” Luis Gomes, CEO, AAC Clyde Space